Sunday, November 2, 2008

We would like to tell you how much you made Tatay and Nanay very happy. You put more meaning to our lives. When we found out that you are soon to be with us, we can’t help but tell the world the good news and you know what? Everybody was ecstatic as we are! We know that you are excited as well to see us so we want you to be strong as Tatay and patient as Nanay. Make us proud, Ok? We will try our very best to guard you, but right now, we also want you take care of yourself.

Don’t let anything happen to you, fight anything that will harm you. Tell them that Tatay and Nanay are waiting and watching over you. Be courageous, God and both of us is praying for your safety.

We don’t know what to call you yet. But don’t worry it will be ready when you see us. We will welcome you with open arms. We can’t wait to see how beautiful you are. You are a fruit of love and a blessing from above. We will be waiting for you when the right time comes to hug you, kiss you and protect you. We promise to love you, take care of you and guide you always.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

1st of February 2003. It all started from here. It was around 4:45 AM, my alarmed rang, awakening me from deep slumber...I was about to text my friends and tell them to go ahead and go without me…I’m really not used to waking up early in the morning… but on a split second, I realized that it’s now or never. I was always on a venture on what I really want to do with my life until Rowers Club came into my world. These are bunch of yuppies who seek adventure in the waters of Manila

My first day went well…with all the body aches and pain. The guys invited us again for the next day’s adventure, we were having second thought about it (right, Aubrey…Hehehe!) but then again…maybe we can try it one more time...

3rd of February 2003. The morning went fine…after the training, they gather around for a little chat, going through their plans of joining an international competition to be held in Australia. He was there. On his bike. Butting in, in every opportunity he can. I asked my friend…sino ba yun? Ang epal?! (whispering lang, bago eh!). And then I forgot about him. Then we went to Mc Donald’s (ang headquarters) and ate breakfast. He and his bestfriend (Harold) introduced themselves. He asked me, anong name mo...I told him, Lheng…Hindi ata ako narinig…Len ba? LHENG! Ahh, lheng! Hi, ako si Ian. Hello! End of story. After that, Art and Jhon (few of the many na very accommodating, lalo na sa mga bago…Hehehe!) invited us to freshen up in the latter’s house. And so we went…When we were already at the Mandaluyong bridge, Jhon was surprised seeing Ian on the side of the road…This is not the usual him, he said. After training, he always goes directly home…but he was there. On his bike again…waiting for us…

Not minding him at all, I went through my stuff and hurried, coz I’m also meeting some of my friends for my inaanak’s birthday…And when I was about to leave…He asked me kung pede daw sumabay. I told him, I will be riding the boat so my traveling time would be short because I’m already late. He just shrug it of and said, Eh di isasasakay ko yung bike ko sa bangka. And so he did, He asked for my number and then I asked back…baket?! I was about to give him my “yeah, whatever” attitude but decided against it…I just don’t know why. Wala lang, he answered. Ok, I replied.

So, we went to our separate ways and immediately after arriving at my destination, my mobile started to beep…unstop. It was him. My friends were already asking whose texting me because I was on my mobile the whole time. Some guy, I said. Some guy that I will spend the rest of my life with...

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

3rd September. I don’t want to keep my hopes so high, I might find myself flat faced on the floor. But I just want to keep track of what I am feeling right now. Today is the day that I should have my …you know…the “girl thing.” Although the signs were still not there except my mood swings. I’m worried that I am only exaggerating things since you know what I really wanted and I might mistakenly over doing it, like I don’t have my appetite, a little dizziness here and there, I’m always sleepy this past few days and I feel like throwing up.

I am not sharing this with anyone just yet. I want to be sure. I don’t want to be happy for now, I’ll save that later. This will be a BIG blow if I am wrong but at least I am the only one who knows about it. Time will tell. Patience is what I need right now.

I can’t talk more about it. I will only post this once it’s confirmed.

2:30 PM, Same day. I got bad news and I am feeling down about it. I was given a week to think about accepting job. I was hesitant and at the same time challenged about the work that I was supposed to do. Hesitant because, transferring in a new environment would be a major change in my career. Accepting it would also imply that I need to give up my gratuity pay that I should be getting in December, geez, with a few months to count, it would surely be put to waste. I would also be banned for 6 months for not finishing my 3-year contract, that’s for sure. Though, husband’s visa is an option, I will still be working illegally since the company is not on a free zone area and they won’t be able to get me a work permit due to the ban.

The new company I was considering is also something to ponder. It is located far from our current residence with no transportation provided. I was asked about how much salary I was expecting, I gave my figure but when I asked how much is the salary range they are offering for the position, depends on the qualifications – so I really wasn’t informed about it. And the last but definitely not the least, the boss is VERY strict as per her own judgment of herself and others’ which I was able to check while I was there. This took me four days to make a decision.

They told me they will be give me a week to decide which I did. They also said that they will check my options as per the status of my visa.

With my desperation to get the hell out of this god forsaken place (please excuse my language.) I’d rather deal with a difficult boss, a far away place and an empty bank account.

But luck is not really on my side. I found out that they have already chosen someone else. With the same background, immediately available and can provide them with a NOC. Damn! With a hassle-free candidate, I understand where they’re coming from.

4th September. Still feeling the signs, I was praying hard that even if wasn’t able to get the job, I was sure hoping this one would be a perfect alternative. Well, at the time of writing, all my questions were answered. I just came out of the washroom and finally there it goes…flushed in the toilet were my hopes, fears, questions, excitement.

I feel like crying today. 2 days is all I need to know everything and it’s really, really disappointing. Sometimes, life is really unfair. And it’s hard not to think bad thoughts. When you try to be contented with everything you have and you try to be happy with even little things, someone is happier than you, someone is more contented than you.

I don’t want to end this blog negatively, but I can’t. It’s just the way it is. Maybe tomorrow would be a different day for me. Perhaps there is more to come.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Pia is a good friend of ours. She’s someone who really got involve and beyond. She was the first to know that we are finally getting married. So from day one till the wedding, she supported us all through out.

She is fashion, she is art and she is confidence. I did not look for anyone else to do my wedding accessories but her. We bought a bunch of shells from divisoria and then with the stroke of her wand turned it to the most beautiful cord you’ll ever see! We so loved it and proud of it. Her creativity did not stop there as Girl was also the one who did our unity candles.

And we did not serve the usual food to our suppliers in the hotel as she volunteered to prepare it herself. From being the master of art, comes Chef Pia, the food was worth the wait since everybody loved her food!

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Missy was really good! No doubt about it! No dull moment. She is confident, she speaks clearly, she knows what to say, when to say and how to say it. I can’t think of anything to say anymore to describe her. She’s really the best.

We did not have the chance of meeting Missy before the wedding. But I was not worried because I know how good she is. When we were at the reception, we saw a lady outside. Ian asked me if I know her, I did not recognize her at first but when I remembered, she was already walking toward us. Then she introduced herself. She has this bubbly personality that you will instantly like kaya I knew then that we will have a great time with her.

With proper lighting Elmer was able to add a touch of beauty to our reception. The microphones were A-OK! I did not notice any feedback from it. He provided anima the proper volume for their music. One thing I observe on weddings that I attended, was when the AVP was playing, either the sound was too low to be notice or hindi siya interesting to see. That’s why I was thankful that Elmer provided the right volume for the AVP that everyone were watching, hindi nasayang yung AVP namin. Basta everything was alright because Elmer was there to do his craft.

When we first met Elmer, grabe ang energy niya! We thought it would only be a 30 minute to one hour meeting pero it lasted for almost 2 hours, partida, no sleep pa siya nun kasi galing sa gig! He asked the motiff, theme, who will be the emcee and other details and from there, He knows na what to do. No problem na because he worked with the other suppliers so alam na niya timpla. Thank goodness he is one of our suppliers!

Monday, August 25, 2008

What do I really want to do? I kept asking this question to my self lately now that December is fast approaching, I still have no idea what road to take. It’s quite frustrating after reaching this age, I am still in search of my self. I just want to look at the bright side of things. At least, this is a good sign that I am not stagnant and I am still looking for ways to improve my life.

I want to believe that my first priority is to be a mother soon. But somehow that idea made me shiver. I know that there will be a lot of responsibilities that goes with it and I am not sure if I am fit to be a mother just yet. Though, at this point in time, I should already be playing the role but that doesn’t mean I should hurry if time is running out, right? I don't want to be blinded with the age thing issue. I want to be ready with this one, physically, emotionally, mentally, financially and spiritually. These reasons give me apprehensions, all I am doing right now is put my faith to God as he is the only one who knows the real score. I am considering a few other possibilities should the high heaven still want me to make the most out of life.

My priority is to inform my company that I wish to end my employment with them since our contract will expire on December. Technically, as per UAE labor, my employment of 3 years will be ending by June because I was hired from the Philippines and brought to Dubai on Visit Visa. With the turn of events, I was able to get the employment 6 months after my first day of work. Hopefully, they will issue a NOC upon my release. I plan to go home around January to have my eyes scheduled for LASIK. I really, really want this done to get a better vision then come back to Dubai on Husband visa to job hunt again. What worries me is not to get work as early as expected as I don’t want to be a burden to my husband, well, I know he doesn’t my mind and it’s not him, it’s me.

My second option would be the same as my first that I still wish to the get the hell out of my work and go home but before leaving I’ll try to get a new work so they can process my employment while I am in the Philippines and come back with a sure job. This might not be feasible to target as the date may not coincide with my plans. If I’ll be able to get the job around December, better. Should I get it before that month I sure need to resign, which or course, might jeopardize my plans of eye operation because worse comes to worst, my current company will do everything to give me bullshits like “good bye to your gratuity pay, you ingrate?!” You may think I am only bad mouthing the people giving me work, you may even say that my company may not be that bad and might even consider giving me what’s due to me.” I admit I am not a good employee and I bitch around here to let out my frustrations, but who cares! I’ve been with the company for more than 2 years, I see colleagues come and go! Never did I encounter a smooth exit given by them, always for their own sake.

Enough of my outburst and let’s get on to business. Anyway, though this is my top 2 priorities at the moment, I am still considering staying without giving any notice, work and earn until I found another job and go from there.

As I have mentioned earlier, my labor card is not due until June of next year so I still have the choice of staying if I wanted to. I admit I hate the work that I am doing and the salary I am receiving right now but if I will consider the practical side of things, this might be the best option for me. Also, since I am not yet pregnant, I can still wait for a while and should we be lucky, at least, I can still work until my fifth month of pregnancy without worrying much about pressure if there’s new work, new people and everything.

I also have the choice of staying until May and wait for my better half’s vacation leave. We’ll be in the Philippines again, celebrating our first year anniversary together. I am dreaming of Palawan this time or going to Hongkong and Macau upon our return from vacation. If I will consider this option, I need to be sure that I still have a work to return to as he might not agree with all my spending trips!

There also my plans of going to London. I might consider rescheduling my LASIK appointment and putting my fund in the bank for a while as requirement if this will pushed through. Although my husband and I need to do a lot of thinking about this since moving again to another place is risky and might require us to spend so much without surety of any positive result.

This is really becoming more frustrating! Why do I have to worry so much about the littlest details? Why don’t I just go ahead and resign and get this over with? If I have to choose without even thinking, I’d go for option 1. I need to take the step forward and just take the plunge otherwise I will be left in this office feeling miserable.

Okay, I need to get hold of myself. This is me, the born worrier, though I hate this at times, where is the other side of me? The one who just go ahead and live life?! The person who has no intuition and inhibition at all! Where are you!? I need you right now! I guess she matured already and think of other people first before herself. Not the selfish, self-centered person I know before. I guess, we all have to be grown ups and carefully think about the choices that we make.

Right now, I have to focus and really prioritize what is important. I know the rest will come and fall into place once I made up my mind. I still have one month to think about all of this. I hope by then my plans will be clearer and more precise. I need to be careful with my decisions. Right now, I will leave everything to God and let him guide me. I know he has something in store for me, I just have to be patient and have more faith in him.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

I only remember hearing 3 songs from their repertoire, my bridal song, “The Prayer,” they sung it beautifully that it added drama to my march, some of our guests were in tears the moment I reached the altar. Father and daughter dance “Butterfly kisses” and our first dance, the song from Maging sino ka man, sung by Sam Milby. It was the only request I asked them to play for me and I was touched when I heard it.

The problem I had with Anima is they were hard to reach. I never met Roger even on the wedding day! We only communicated few times e-mail, he only met my friend once to give the deposit, He sent one text and we only talked once on the phone before the wedding. But in fairness, Camz said that they were really good.

Friday, August 22, 2008

EJ was the second and last supplier I considered for my make-up. The first one got me bothered. So last minute, I called EJ and asked her if she could schedule me for a trial. That was like, 2 days before our flight back to Dubai. Finally, after the trial, my mind was put at ease. My mother in law even said, that if she will not like her make-up, she’ll remove it instantly even on the day of the wedding, I just smiled at her because I was confident that I had found right one.

During the trial EJ was already visualizing my look on my wedding day and even placed a veil on me just to check how it would be when on it, her mom had my hair fixed as well. I just requested her to put make-up brand that will not irritate my skin since I am not fond of putting on make-ups and to tell you honestly, the trial and the wedding itself was the only times that I really bothered to put it on.

This is the BEFORE and AFTER look

A friend of mine told me that I gave justice to the saying that bride is the most beautiful on her wedding and I thank EJ because she worked her wonders on me. I received a lot of compliments with my look! Even hubby admitted (which he always deny) that I was really a sight on our wedding day! My ever critic cousins were looking for flaws on my look, good thing none was found!

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Few weeks before the wedding, Hubby could still not decide what style he wanted and what would suit his personality. Sabi niya, he’ll buy a ready made na lang. But we were so caught up with other things, we couldn’t squeeze it in and he was still undecided if he would go for ready made, kasi we don’t want him to look like one of the entourage din, bring their own kasi ang mga barong nila. What I did was check W@W and found Mang Rey’s contact details. Scheduled their meeting and wala na akong balita. I asked what happened, sabi niya OK na. Few days after they met, the Barong was made. I asked him kung ano itsura, secret daw, kaya sa wedding day ko na lang nakita ang suot niya.

No one outshined the look of my hubby, he made sure of that. The barong was made perfectly for him. Kudos to Mang Rey!

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Another precious found in W@W. I heard a lot about Mang Boy Mahusay. And when we went to Dangwa, what I checked first was his rosary tattoo and everything went smoothly. We just told them what will be our theme and they suggested what colors and what flowers to use. All I read about him in w@w was true so I did not bother na with the details. They were early on the wedding day! And it was nice seeing Mang Boy again! Sabi niya, “mam, ginawan ko na din the corsage si sir ha, para match sa bouquet mo.” Aww, sweet! And my bouquet was beautiful and so are the rest of the flowers. Perfect matched with the gowns.

We had problems lang with the no. of flowers for PS, kulang. Nagdagdag kasi kami ng Ninang and we forgot to inform Mang Boy, so Camz called him, a few minutes later meron na agad siyang naprovide. Galing! Instant! Mahusay talaga! End of reception, medyo wilted na yung flowers but it served na its purpose so ok na ako dun.

Art is a very good friend of ours and a great photographer! He is one of the few people na nakawitness ng 5 long years naming together and still counting. Even when were just starting our relationship, he volunteered that once we got married, he will be our photographer for free! Though the offer was tempting, we decided against it, we want him to enjoy our day with us. So we got him as one of the groomsmen.

But he still insisted on doing something for us. As a gift, he was the one who took our pre-nup pictures. Even though it was part of the freebies of Niceprint, we did not avail of it, simply because we know how good Art is and we trusted him to give the best ones. And he did! Our prenup photos were the best of them all, but not only that, from Guestbook to Thank you cards, to AVP pictures, all professionally done by Art.

We can’t thank him enough for all that he did for us, that is why, we really felt so bad when his works were not credited on our wedding day. When niceprint used his pictures on there thank you cards and avp, he’s name was removed from it. Our bad, we forgot to instruct niceprint to give credits to him and they did not bother to ask. But deep in our hearts we know that he will always be our perfect photographer.

Rupert and Albert were pleasant to deal with. Especially Rupert who was assigned to me, he was full of energy taking shots and I was out of breath with all the posing and stuff but I enjoyed posing for them kasi they were funny and pleasant. He made me at ease, kaya hindi na ako naconscious khit na it was the first time that we met. Although they were late, they said sorry naman and worked fast kaya we were still on time. We have beautiful photos to keep for life because of them.

Buti na lang Niceprint have people like them to compensate for whatever shortcomings they have for the services. As some of you may know, I’ve had issues with them prior to the wedding and that made me hesitant but I took Charisse words that we will still get the service that we deserved. I don’t want to get into details na. The important thing is that they were able to capture every moment of the most important event of our lives.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

I must admit that I was worried too when I heard a lot of bad news about Tina sa W@W. But when I met her, all my worries were gone and stick with her, I’m confident that she will take care of me. I had several fittings, though I’m skinny, I’m not conscious on putting on weights, cant resists eating kasi. But days before the wedding, Tina jokingly told me to “Please stop eating!” And all I can do is laugh! They were very patient with all the alteration on my gown. I didn’t saw the final retouch on my gown kasi she said “you know the pamahiins of the oldies,” so the night before when they delivered the gown, I was awed! It was a simple yet elegant one. Bagay sa personality ko, hindi niya na over power ang ganda ko! Hahaha! One thing to describe it is “Your gown looks beautiful on you” and not “You look beautiful on your gown.”

I also like the look of our entourage gowns. We have the same fabric but we chose to have different colors and style of gowns for MOH, SS, BM, Jr. BM and FG according to their like and personality pero each gown has the same color of another gown to put uniformity to it. Very detailed talaga, you’ll recognize which is which and who is what.

We had minor headaches lang naman with our entourage gowns, there were several alterations, and every time we went there, another alteration needs to be done. So medyo, time consuming, hassle to those who work and travel pa to Makati. Few days before the wedding, all the gowns were made, so everything was ok.

Monday, August 18, 2008

I was impressed when I saw our cake! It was the perfect thing! Everybody loved our coffee caramel minicakes! And I saw our guests taking picture of it! When we had our cake tasting with Joy, our mind was set to get her na, but she was the one who said to think about it first, no rush! Unlike other suppliers who will push you to book them on the spot to the point of irritating na. Galante din siya mamigay ng samples niya. Wala talaga kaming masabi, lahat masarap! We were on a budget, but she was so accommodating and attended one of our meetings just to get the details of what we want. And the result was so great! She exceeded our expectation! Love her talaga, pleasant and easy to deal with. I would never get any other cake supplier but her.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Ever since I saw the works of Kaye, I never wanted any other caterer but her. I thought I was not going to get her then. One, because she was holding the date for another client who’s having problems with the venue and two, we were on a budget. Grabeng sad ko nun, feeling ko hindi magiging maganda ang wedding ko kung hindi si kaye ang caterer ko. Promise! I heard so much about her sa w@w. And when she told me that her other client needs to get another caterer, I just need to solve the second problem with my h2b! Kahit na, nag over budget kami, no regrets. She customized our menu with the budget that we set. We communicated through e-mails and only met her personally when we had our food tasting 4 months before our wedding, she was so nice and cannot say no to our every requests. We did not worry anymore because we know that Kaye will take care of us and hindi niya kami binigo. The set-up was simple yet elegant. Binagay niya sa place and theme. The food was great! Even the waiters were so attentive. And I love our backdrop, super nice! Everyone wants to seat in our sofa. Few of our friends even texted us and said that our wedding was the best!

Minor problems though, At first, I was a little disappointed sa center table piece, it was not what I was expecting, it was our fault din kasi talagang hindi kami detailed and no idea kung ano bagay so we leave it all to her but after seeing the photos, I realized na she matched it with the place and our theme so she really knows her craft so ok na ako after that. There were few other details na medyo nawala sa usapan naming like we initially requested for carrot rice, kasi we loved it sa food tasting palang, pero na overlooked namin sa final contract, steamed rice and rolls na lang. Nasira yata yung laptop niya kaya some of the details hindi na niya na retrieved. Another thing, we requested for chocolate decadence, unfortunately, she informed few days ago na one ingredient is not available in the market but she asked us to choose another dessert naman. And when the guests were in line to get their foods, I was panicking, because the buffet table was getting crowded na, we should have set two buffet tables instead of one.

Anyway, she was there the whole time, making sure that everything was ok, hands on talaga siya, nakakataba ng puso. So if someone would ask me to suggest a caterer, Kaye will be the first, the only and the last supplier I would recommend.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

I didn’t just get a coordinator, I found a friend in Camz. Eversince we started, Camz was always there to support us. She was introduced by a colleague and from then on, we chatted almost everyday, not only about the wedding but anything and everything under the sun. It was always good to know that someone, aside from us, is thinking of our wedding and how we can make it a perfect one. And that made the preparation less stressful.

When we finally met her, nothing has change, she was the same person who I been chatting with, but this time, we talk for hours! Then few weeks before the wedding, she became na din my organizer and alarm clock. Always reminding me on what to do, what to bring and when to do it. Until the wedding day, I was calm because I know she was there to organize everything. Camz, Nina, Carla, Shelly, and Raine were all working and treated my wedding like their own. I even heard my mom thanking her for a job well done and saying how beautiful the wedding was. There were minor glitches, of course, but with all the hard work and dedication, it’s not worth mentioning. All we know is that they became part of our wedding worth remembering.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

I love this venue! Our wedding theme has a lot to do with nature, but I don’t want to jeopardize my wedding with a garden reception. Napakaunpredictable pa naman ng weather natin. When I chance upon the clubhouse, I immediately asked my friend to book it. It was the right place for us. I love the glass walls, the trees outside added to the effect, so close to nature. No need for us to hire an event stylist, the place was simple yet classy. Sayang yung ganda ng place kung hindi mapapansin. Charge is cheap compared to other venues. Also, madaming rest rooms, separate for male and female and they have someone assigned to keep it clean na.

The downsides are: Should you want book a date, they will hold it for a week then you need to pay in full. They don’t allow nailing and taping of decoration, another reason why we did not hire a stylist. There’s no receiving area and no room to freshen up so Ian and I had to stay outside when everybody were finding their seats. Kita kami outside kaya wala ng moment of surprise. They have 30 ampheres available but we need 60-100, they can provide with additional charge of 1800. They will get it from the refundable bond na. But all in all, I would still choose this for another occasion.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

I love the executive suite of this hotel! Spacious and has a big bathroom plus they have connecting deluxe twin room na for the groom and family, convenient for us and our suppliers. My mom also loved it and we enjoyed every minute of our stay. Lalo na yung buffet breakfast, feeling royalty! They don’t have the grand staircase of Shangri-La, but for me, they were more accommodating and that is an important factor. When we inquired at Shang, kung san san kami tinuturo. Kakainis na nga. Tapos, binigyan lang kami ng rates. Parang ok, kaya niyo ba? Hahaha! Anyway, with Crowne, even if we were only inquiring, we were given a tour na, so right there and then, we booked them.

There were minor problems lang, when we check-in around 2PM. We requested in advance for the Executive suite with connecting room. But at that time, yung suite pa lang ang available kasi hindi pa daw nag check out yung nasa kabilang room. So hubby needs to stay in another room and the connecting room was vacated around 10PM na.

And on the day of the wedding, I think there was a brown out for at least a couple of minutes, we were at the elevator at that time going to church na. Buti na lang, when the power went off, the door was open, so we immediately step out of it, eh kaso we were on the 10/F pa lang. Mahaba habang lakaran, thank God mabilis lang kaya hindi kami naglakad pababa.

Friday, August 1, 2008

When we started our wedding preps, Church was the most stressful part! Since we are both overseas, nagrely lang kami sa family and friends namin to find us a church around Makati area that entertains Sunday weddings. And it took us 2 months! But ever since Camz suggested the Santuario, everything was put into place. We never encountered any problems with them. From pre-cana, canonical interview, confession until wedding day, no hassle at all! Smooth na ang preparations from then on. All the people that we encountered were accommodating. The church is very organized. They will give you detailed list of things that you need to complete. Wedding rules and regulations are there as well, but not too strict to cause any problems. Plus, we so love Father Allen! He’s an angel! Very patient kahit na medyo may mali ang misallette namin, he guide us through it all with a smile.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

It’s been 70 days, 1668 hours, 100, 080 minutes since 18th May 2008. The wedding we have waited for 1 year. You remember the fairy tale stories we’ve heard and seen while growing up? I’m sure you know that most of them ended in a wedding were they live happily ever after. Then reality bites. Practically speaking, wedding is the legal contract binding of two different people. It’s the union not only as husband and wife but of their rights and privileges as a couple. The man will then be transformed from being a bachelor who enjoyed being single, being irresponsible, going out with different girls, cheating from time to time from his girlfriend, owning his time and money to himself to a family person who will come home to his wife, take care of his family, provide financial support, nurture his children to be good citizens, give the best education, an environment away from harm and bad influence. Now isn’t that a responsibility? Big time, huh?! Imagine how hard to mold someone with the right attitude? When you yourself enjoyed whatever there is to enjoy in life. Most of us will agree that we don’t want our future children to experience what we had experienced. Would you rather stay single and benefit from all other pleasures of life or carry this burden on your shoulder? Do you think you are ready to commit to such role?

Maybe we cannot blame most men who are afraid to tie the knot, if you put yourself into their shoes what do you think you will do? Just thinking about it, makes you want to run away from it, right? Though, how about a round of applause to real men who commit to that kind of duties? Removing all their rights as singles and submit themselves to total exclusivity to their wives. You heard me right, ok? Total exclusivity, alright? Not those men who do side trips before going home to his dear wife.

I am being unbiased here. All I do is talk about the partners in our lives. What about us who also gave up a lot once we said yes to the “will you marry me” question? We’ll forget about partying, shopping, owning our time and money to ourselves, and not to mention the 9 months of pregnancy and the pains of giving birth. Imagine how your body will never be the same again once you found out that a new life is growing inside us.

Yesterday, I was not in the mood to work so I call it a day. While ironing our clothes, I had watched this movie about an irresponsible man who owns nothing – no money, no work, smoke pots, have a very bad company and do not worry about his future, when all of a sudden accidentally had a lady pregnant, someone who is a total opposite of him. They met in a bar, had a few drink, had a good time, and then ended up in bed. It was a one night stand who eventually turned out to be the start of a big thing.

They were shocked when the pregnancy was confirmed. They decided to keep the baby. Both have to adjust accordingly to the situation. The man has to give up all his vices, be a more responsible individual, support his soon-to-be- mother of his child while the woman has to keep her pregnancy a secret since her job as a reporter of E! demands her to be thin and pretty in front of the TV.

It was a nice film showing the reality of a married life. It has its ups and downs. It will never be a bed of roses. Everyday it is a struggle to keep it work. It’s a give and take relationship. At first, it was hard for them to make things work, knowing each other for a few months makes it even more difficult.

Imagine if it will happen in your life. See, relationship will not work overtime. You will have a miserable life if you wrongly think that everything is automatic and you just go with the flow. It’s like a job you enjoy and sometimes love to hate. You have to work it out. It has its ups and downs of course, Sickness and Vacation Leave Benefits, Difficult boss, annoying client, even a product you want to sell is like a problem you want to explain to your partner. But at the end of the day, you still work, you still stay and you still receive salary.

Many of us were misled by our childhood fantasies and when you are face with problems it is just too hard to recover because lives after wedding were not shown in fairytales. Did you know what happen to Cinderella after she married the prince? What about Snow white when her knight in shining armor kissed her? Remember the first time you got hurt? Isn’t it the most painful of all?! We don’t know how to deal with it yet and we feel like it’s the end of the world. Then after one hurt after another, eventually we’ll get over the thought of “and they live happily ever after” that’s where life starts. Soon, when you have the time to reminisce, you’ll laugh at how you behave in the past.

How you dealt with it at that time will determine your life in the future. Be careful of your action as this might end you up as a broken person. And when you realize you have chosen the wrong turns in your life, there is no turning back. Think before you act. Ask guidance. Be with the right company. Remember that every problem has its solution, don’t let hurt defeat you. Define you future.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Yes, it is! Five years of being together and 2 months after our marriage. And today I got a gift from Far-ouT! I really wasn't expecting it. Few days back I go gaga over one book I was reading, borrowed from a flatmate. I saw it when we were roaming around Carrefour Supermarket in City Center. While reading the backside of the book, my mind was saying "buy it, buy it." Then she said she has a copy and she'll let me borrow it. Good! Now, i save few bucks once again.

Some of you, I believe already have one but I only had mine recently. The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, copy righted 2006 has been understood by some of the most prominent people in history: Plato, Galileo, Beethoven, Edison, Carnegie, Einstein-along with other inventors, theologians, scientists, and great thinkers and now it is being revealed to the world. As you learn the The Secret, you will come to know how you can have, bem or do anything you want. You will come to know who you really are. You will come to know the magnificence that awaits you in life. (words copied from the book)

Was that really inspiring? All our lives, we kept on searching for answers to all the questions of the world. And this is the first time that I really got interested in reading one. Maybe at first, it was plain curiosity. But then while reading, the content of it made me realize a lot of things. It even answered some questions of my mind that remain unanswered until now. I becoming aware of my thoughts and the power of it to change my life and just for the record, I posted one blag! last 28th June at 4:45 PM, entitled "Ang nakatakda o Ang pagtatakda! San ka nga ba dapat maniwala." I'm not really sure if that lead me to the book, but six days after that post, i discovered it.

Let me share a few part of it and how I was starting to believe.

"The greatest teachers who have ever lived have told us that the law of attration is the most powerful law in the universe."

"A young man watched the secret and start with something small. He created a picture of a feather in his mind, and he made sure this feather was unique. 2 days later, he was about to walk into a high rise building on a street in New York City. He said he did not know why, but he just happened to look down. There at his feet, at the entrance to a high-rise building in New York City, was the feather! Exactly the feather he had imagined."

I was asking myself if that was really possible. Anyway, it was only one of the many wonders shared in the book so I did not make a big fuss out of it. Far-ouT and I went to Burjuman mall few days back...while walking home, I look down, which I don't often do, I'm one of the many who walk with head straight ahead, and there I saw in front of my foot was a feather. Right there and then I remembered the story. I smiled. I didn't share it with anyone, might think I'm paranoid. But then again, I told you, I am becoming aware of the things around me now. And so it goes.

This book was also one of the things I tried imagining owning. Though, I was really planning to buy one come payday, as a gift for our monthsary came a surprise. I told Far-ouT how I wanted to have a copy, not expecting he'll buy me one because I knew that he doesn't have an extra money till end of the month and its been a while now since the last time he gave me a gift for our monthsary. And when I received, I was so happy!

Like this story of one person who wants to own his very own copy of "The Secret" without really buying one. He got it from the people behind the book when they gave away some of it for free. He's only feeling that he already has it and so after a few days, got one.

"See the things that you want as already yours. Know that they will come to you at need. Then let them come. Don't fret and worry about them. Don't think about your lack of them. Think of them as yours, as belonging to you, as already in your possession."

I know how weird it sound sharing this. And I am not forcing anyone to believe. I am just writing this for my own record.

"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step."

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

A lot of us considered January as the turning point of another year. Well, except for Chinese of course since they celebrate their New Year on another month. But 2008 will be a different year for me and I want to consider May as my New Year since a lot of things will transpire come this month.

As some of closest buddies know what it will be by then, I made a lot of thinking on what I want to accomplish when we reach the 5th month of the year and it’s already getting close and I am getting the tingles in silly places…started in my toes, and crinkle my nose…Colbie is that you?!

I wrote…whenever mood strikes me to note down my wish list…for May alone and afterwards. Please be reminded that due to financial difficulties and too much strain some of it might not be feasible but I included it anyway just for future reference…hehehe!

I will start with the easiest thing to do…the ones that doesn’t need too much consideration and hurt on the pocket…to the most horrible thing for me to do to myself and ian’s fortune…and mind you its way not too much riches!

Billiards. This game was one of my passions when I was in college. Ever since Ella taught me how to play, we became so addicted to it that we even sneak out of a retreat just to play…even in uniforms! You read it right…even in white colored blouse with pink lining and knee length skirt, we would go to places where you will see guys without having a shirt on, smoking and with hands full of white chalks! We had a few nice places to play as well, expensive ones…the only problem is that we were so caught up playing, we forgot that we don’t have enough money and so we need to call a friend just to get us out of there…alive! Kidding aside, it was one of the best days of my life. So I want to relive the good old days. Any of my connections can play with me, be it Ella, Lotis and Olive, even the “GUYS” (you know who you are).

Badminton. My friends and I went one day for a game of badminton in Quezon City some time ago…I remembered little of the date…what I knew then was that, I was still working with a not-so-good company. Ella with Buge…Pia with Leo and I…cannot remember if Far-ouT was with us though…Anyway…It was good, first time to play on court. As my eye sight failed me, I was having trouble seeing the shuttle cock even if it was about to hit me. I would only know that I should have hit it when it already landed in front of me. So I had to wear eyeglasses, which was of course uncomfortable…unlike rowing where I don’t have to worry where the boat was headed, all I had to do was to paddle and listen on how hard or how light our stokes will be until the word “easy.” I wish to be with the same company for this game and since I have discovered wearing contact lenses, I don’t have to worry anymore whether what I was hitting is the shuttle cock or just thin air.

Rowing. Why in the world would you think that this sport is not on my list? This is where my real life started…the one I so love. This is where I’ve met the best people in the whole wide world! And this is where Far-ouT! first laid his eyes on me! This is where I became more aware of the people and places around me, appreciate more of life could offer. I learned to use mind over matter. My existence before was more on parties, clubs, booze, smoke, sleepless nights, you name it…it still is but moderately now. Before, I can stay so late at night, but now I can’t even keep my eyes open when 11:00 PM strikes. I drink, smoke, stay late once in a while but I am more of a homebody now. In short, I became a better person. At first, my girlfriends was so shocked at the transformation but then they got use to it in time and now life is more fun now than ever before. So I want to be with these people closest to my heart.

Swimming. After a hard training there’s nothing more relaxing than swimming. Pia was the one patient enough to teach me how to swim. I never appreciated the beach and the sun and the sands until then. And now it is one of my favorite stuff.

Club. Let’s do this once in a while. I still love dancing, alright! Lotis, Olive and I are notorious on clubbing and partying…going out almost every night…ok, so I exaggerated a little. But we do grab every opportunity, never turning down a single invitation…even with short notice. Let’s party!

Bar. After a hard night of partying, I want to just relax and listen to music with few bottles of San Mig light.

Airsoft. I still remember the very first time I ever played this game. I had tiny red marks on my face because one girl hit me more than once in the face! Damn! I bought my own gun, I never got my vengeance though…It’s exciting when you are still on the game but once your out, all you can do is smoke and wait until the last man standing survived the battle. But then again, let’s do this one more time!

Wall climbing. I want to do this once again, it not only test the power of your upper body but learn to trust your belayer as this cannot be done alone. You need someone confident enough to handle you and someone who can catch you when you fall. *wink*

Mountain climbing. Nothing is more rewarding than reaching the top of the world. Climbing is difficult for the faint hearted and even harder for weak knees. But it’s worth all the pains once you reach the peak of it. With all its grandeur, you cannot resist doing it over and over again. Unfortunate event may come your way, rain, fog, uneven trail, annoying limatiks but all these and more are all part of the fun. I may not be able to do a major climb this time but a minor one will do. Bring it on!

Massage/Spa. I want to pamper my body and clear my mind even for a little while to release all my stress for hard days work.

Snorkeling. I hope I’ll be able to do this once in a lifetime experience as I never had the opportunity to see and enjoy the waterworld.

Scuba Diving. It might not be possible for May but maybe someday, not sooner not later but someday.

Rapelling. I tried it once and I was scared to death. I almost chicken out of it…while already standing on top of a building…on the wall…facing ground. Far-ouT! was waiting below… so what the heck! Now, I want to do it again.

Island hopping/beach. I’ve been to boracay…so I am eyeing Puerto Galera this time…how I wish.

Visit a new place. I wish for us to be able to afford to travel once every year. Visit a new place and learn new things from it. It will be something to look forward to.

Learn a new skill. I was thinking of learning how to drive and have my own license. As I always wanted to have a car but unfortunately luck is still not on my side. Hope after May, I’ll be able to get at least the license to drive.

New job. I think I deserve something new and a more established company. I wish for a career growth where I will be able to be of service to the company and be well compensation for it.

Shopping. It’s about time to go shopping for a few new clothes! Indulge!

Enroll in a gym. Never ever disregard your health even if it will cost you a fortune…kidding! Friends and I are just waiting for a good deal in Fitness First, we’ll definitely grab it this time.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Ian and Lheng
Together with our parents
Invite you to share with us the joy
As we exchange our marriage vows
Aboard “The Infinity 18”
Sanctuario de San Jose”
On Sunday, Eighteen of May, Year Two Thousand and Eight
At half past one in the afternoon

From Quezon City (Southbound):

Take Edsa and turn right at Connecticut Street after passing by Santolan Station.

Make a left at the Second Gate (La Salle Street).

Turn right at the next street (Duke Street).

From Makati/Alabang (Northbound):

Take Edsa and turn left over the Ortigas fly-over going to Greenhills.

At the first stop light turn right at Connecticut Street.

Make another right at the second gate (La Salle Street).
Turn right at the next street (Duke Street).

We are hoping our guests will celebrate and witness our wedding. The ceremonies are equally important to us. We would be honored to see you at both venues. For now, we’re still deciding if we will also include the direction going to Valle Verde 6. Some of you know where it is located but I think the security at the gate of the place is quite strict. And we will also instruct them not to accommodate those who will go directly to the venue. So please cooperate and celebrate with us. We will also be distributing boarding pass to avoid gate crashers and uninvited guests.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

A lot of you have may have gone to numerous weddings and some of you may have yet to attend one. As a guest, you become part of the whole ceremony and must do your share in ensuring that the celebration is one filled with joy, fun and love. The following are reminders on how to become the perfect guest and make the couple glad they invited you.

The Invitation
When you receive your invitation, take a look at the name/s. If your name appears with an appendage "and guest" then you can bring someone along. But if it simply states your name and no one else’s, then be courteous enough to follow this. It is in bad form to ask the couple who invited you if you can bring someone with you as you know that the cost of the reception is usually based on the number of people in attendance. If there is no indication that you can bring children along, then it is best to leave the little ones at home.
RSVP means "respondez S’il Vous Plait" (please reply) so respond promptly to help the couple decide on the place cards for the reception.
Strictly follow the dress code or required attire. Dress up in such a way that you won’t be grabbing the limelight from the couple nor should you be so underdressed that you’d stick out like a sore thumb.

The CeremonyAs a guest, you become part of the whole ceremony and must do your share in ensuring that the celebration is one filled with joy, fun and love.
Be on time for the ceremony. But should you find yourself running late, as you get to the wedding venue, discreetly enter and sit at the back row making use of the side aisles to get to your seat. If you find the doors locked, then resign yourself to the fact that you may have to sit out the ceremony.
If you’re attending a wedding that has a different denomination to yours, be observant and respectful of its rituals. Simply exclude yourself from any of the rituals that may require participation on the part of the guests with the same denomination as that of the couple.
Refrain from taking too many pictures while the ceremony is underway. Usually, an official photographer has been commissioned to capture the event and you could request your own set afterwards.

The Reception
It is not advisable to go straight to the reception if you find yourself running just a little bit late for the wedding ceremony. Should you fail to attend the majority of the ceremony, wait for it to end and be part of the convoy to the reception venue. Do not go straight to the reception venue as this will give the impression that you’re only there for socializing and not for the wedding itself.
A formal table setting of a full-course meal is always a cause for concern for those who are not so familiar with how to work the numerous sized utensils. Just remember to start using the utensils found at the outermost part of the setting and work your way inward.
Do not cause a stir if you find the food served not to your liking. If you don’t like it, then don’t eat it. Neither should you force your preference on the couple by requesting that you be served a different dish at the reception. Remember that you may be the guest but the couple is the most important part of the celebration.

The GiftYour gift to them is who you are and is a representation of how well you know the couple and their needs. Check out the couple’s gift registry. If you decide to get one on your own, always operate on the elements of functionality and design. Also, check the plans of the couple after the wedding. Will they be relocating to a far place thus making transportation of gifts difficult? Will they be moving into a new house? Do they need appliances or house accessories? All of these considerations will help a lot in coming up with a gift that the couple will truly appreciate and use.

Be GladInviting someone to a wedding takes a lot of time and consideration on the part of the couple. As a guest, you have been given the honor that shows that the couple sees you as someone important to them. So celebrate and support the couple by being a gracious guest and show the couple how important they are to you.

Monday, April 21, 2008

If it's your first time attending a wedding, what follows is a simple guide of Dos & Don'ts to get through such a social event. Note that we made these questions up so allow us to be sarcastic and blunt with some of our responses to ourselves.

Q. I got an invite but have no plans of attending; should I still send a gift?

A. First thing's first. If you won't be able to attend for whatever reason, please RSVP. A big chunk of the wedding budget goes to the reception and it will be utterly inconsiderate to just give up a reserved seat without letting the couple know. Give them the chance to assign that seat to another guest in their "waitlist." Having that out of the way, let's get to your question: YES, it is customary to still send a gift.

Q. The envelope bears only my name. May I ask if I can bring a date?

A. Don't bring a date unless your invitation specifically says "and Guest." Bringing unexpected guests is very impolite. Neither should you ask the couple's permission if you may bring one or not. Don't put your friends on the spot. We Filipinos don't really like turning down people. So how would you know if their "Yes" means yes or not? Spare them that trouble.

Q. The invite says "Mr. & Mrs." Could we bring our kids?

A. Never bring the kids unless "& Family" is indicated. Soon-to-weds don't usually invite children for a good reason. Kids get bored or cranky during hour-long masses. Their tantrums might disrupt the solemnity of the ceremony. Weddings are usually formal events typically not appropriate for the little ones. To be blunt about it, inviting a child at the reception means added two mouths to feed - the kid's and the yaya's.Follow-up

Q. But my son/daughter is the bearer/flower girl. I'm sure it's understood that my other child is invited.

A. Which part of the answer above didn't you understand? Seriously, if the couple wanted to invite your other kid, they would have specified that on the envelope.

2nd follow-up Q. But I'm breastfeeding, I'm sure my friends will understand, won't they?
A. Granting that it's an infant and he or she won't eat at the reception - let's even assume that your baby won't wail at the church - the answer is still NO! Not even if you've perfected the art of being a cow in a long gown. Four words: Breast Pump and Babysitter!

Q. I don't have a clue what gift to give them. Any ideas?

A. The average Pinoy soon-to-wed would always prefer monetary gifts more than any other gift. It is the unspoken fact. We're telling you now to make it easier for them to let you know what they REALLY want; unless they indicated that already in their invites which, by the way, is a very tacky thing to do.If you're not comfortable giving cash, you may ask the couple where they are registered (Gift / Bridal Registry) and choose from what's listed under their names in the store. You can also ask them where they're residing after the wedding and take the cue from there. If you know that they'll be migrating abroad or living with their parents for the time being, a ref or another oven toaster may not be the most practical and logical gift.

Q. I'm convinced. So how much cash should I give them? I don't want to give too little or too much.

A. That's a hard thing to answer. It's really a case-to-case thing. Try to put yourself in the couple's shoes. How much should a guest of your stature give you without being branded a cheapskate? Also consider your relationship with the couple. If you're good friends of the couple's parents, you'll probably shell-out more than if you were simply the bride's Girl Friday.

Q. Could I skip the ceremony and head straight to the reception?

A. You can. BUT you shouldn't! You are invited to THE wedding -- that's the part where they exchange their "I dos." The reception is where the Receiving Line is. You can't be 'received' if you are already seated in the hall, right? "Patay-gutom" is too harsh a word and we assure you that it's by no means what anyone would think if indeed you decide to go straight to the reception. But admit that it struck a nerve just mentioning the word in that context, isn't it?

Q. Speaking of the Receiving Line, what should be the proper greeting?

A. Here's the rule: Say "Congratulations" to the groom and "Best Wishes" to the bride. The reason behind is that "congrats" implies that someone has caught something or won a prize, and it is rather improper to imply that the bride "caught" the man who married her. If this rule gets mixed-up in your head come wedding day, just say the two phrases together and look at both of them. That usually works! Likewise, saying "Good Luck!" no matter how pure your wishes are will also sound very inappropriate for obvious reasons.

Q. Nice try, but what if the couple makes a Grand Entrance and left the Receiving Line to their parents? What then should I tell them? Note that I don't even know which sets of parents are whose.

A. Didn't we tell you already not to skip the ceremony? The bride and groom usually walk alongside their respective parents at the very start! Anyway, make your pleasantries short and sweet. Shake their hands and say "Hello! I'm (your name) and I went to school with (name of bride/groom) in (school's name)/an officemate of (name of bride/groom) at (name of company)." They usually respond with "Nice meeting you." Just smile, nod politely, and move on to the next person. If one replies "Hi! I've heard so much about you!", simply smile and nod just the same. No lengthy conversation; just make small talk at most. If you can't find the words to say, just smile again, nod politely, and move.

Q. During the banquet, is there anything I need to know?

A. Nowadays, the Reception Program usually have the guests on each table stand up and have their picture taken with the couple before being led to the buffet. This is done to resolve two issues of past weddings: (a) for the couple's convenience and skip the tiring Table-Hopping ritual just to have their picture taken with all their guests; and (b) for the guests' convenience so they won't have to wait very long for their turn in the buffet line. Keep in mind that Buffet is NOT synonymous with "Eat-All-You-Can." Do not pile your plate full. Be courteous of those who have yet to be served. Don't worry. You can easily go for seconds.

Q. I'm used to a Buffet setting, but what if it's a formal Sit-Down Dinner? Which fork do I start with again?

Monday, March 3, 2008

One of the reason we need to travel from Dubai all the way to Abu Dhabi is because we heard that jewelries here are cheaper. I had a very specific details that I wanted for our wedding rings and I wasn't very impress with Gold Souq.

Before travelling back to Dubai, we decided to roam around the area and visit the Emirates Palace.

Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi is one of the luxury 5 star hotels United Arab Emirates has to offer.

Impressive achitectural design

This cute fountain caught my attention

We requested someone to take some picture of us.

Weee, love the scenery

Huge pots

Umm, yes. we just took photos outside the hotel. Wasn't able to see the inside yet.